Aver Lex lawyer Vitaliy Serdiuk, who represents the interests of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, has brought an application to Kyiv's Obolonsky District Court on his return to the hearing of the high treason case.

At a court session on Monday, he read out an application by Yanukovych, in which he asks for Serdiuk's participation in the interrogation of witnesses.

"The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine registered a criminal proceeding on the basis of my application on committing a coup in February 2014. During the consideration of this criminal proceeding, the Obolonsky Court of the city of Kyiv determined the list of witnesses on the part of the prosecution, who must be summoned and questioned in court. Some of them are witnesses and suspects in the coup case. In order to ensure my participation and document the testimony of witnesses or potential suspects in the coup case, I attract and authorize the lawyers of the Aver Lex firm to provide me with legal assistance in full," reads Yanukovych's application dated December 8, 2017, which Serdiuk read out.

The lawyer noted that the former president insisted on his participation in the interrogation of witnesses summoned to the court in the high treason case and asked the court to provide him with such an opportunity.

After a short break the Obolonsky District Court continued the session.

Serdiuk and his colleague, Ihor Fedorenko, are already taking part in the process. Yanukovych's public lawyer, Ihor Liashenko, also continues to participate in the process.

Presiding Judge Vladyslav Deviatko said that even if there are other lawyers, the public lawyer must fulfill his duties until a respective decision is made by the center for the provision of free legal assistance.

In July, Yanukovych withdrew private lawyers from the trial, in which he is accused of high treason. Public lawyers were appointed for him.